Regional Integration Efforts and Political Cooperation of East African Community: A Case of Rwanda

Abstract

The main purpose of the research was to assess the role of regional integration in political cooperation among EAC member states. The specific goals were to examine the effect of economic initiatives on political cooperation, to assess the effect of policy harmonization on EAC political cooperation in the case of Rwanda, and to investigate the relationship between diplomatic efforts and EAC political cooperation in the case of Rwanda. The study's insights on Rwanda-EAC dynamics foster stronger political collaboration, guiding EAC policy decisions. It informs Rwanda's diplomatic strategy, enhances cross-border cooperation within the EAC, and serves as a foundational resource for future research and policy recommendations. The study employs Institutional Liberalism Theory, Neo-Functionalism Theory, and Intergovernmentalism Theory to examine how international institutions, spill over effects, and intergovernmental decision-making shape regional integration and political cooperation within the EAC. The interview guide and questionnaire were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from the field using a descriptive research design. Interviews were conducted with 30 respondents crossing the Gatuna Border using the convenient sampling technique. 68 respondents were selected from the ministry of foreign affairs based on a purposive sampling method to fill out the questionnaire from their respective offices, making 98 respondents out of 274 people in the target population. The results revealed that the evaluation of economic initiatives revealed strong support for their positive impact on EAC's political cooperation, reflected in high mean scores (4.886 to 4.989) and significant Pearson correlation coefficients (0.322 to 0.674, p < 0.01). Similarly, policy harmonization demonstrated positive effects on political cooperation, evident in high mean scores (4.896 to 4.969) and strong Pearson correlation coefficients (0.452 to 0.702, p < 0.01). Effective diplomatic efforts were found to significantly foster political cooperation, indicated by high mean scores (4.824 to 4.958) and moderate to strong Pearson correlation coefficients (0.245 to 0.914). In conclusion, these results underscore the pivotal roles of economic initiatives, policy harmonization, and diplomatic efforts in strengthening political collaboration within the EAC. The study suggests prioritizing continuous dialogue and mutual understanding among EAC diplomats, emphasizing policy harmonization and regional integration. Rwanda, as an EAC member state, should actively engage in integration efforts, while all member states should strive for collaborative decision-making and standardized policies. Citizens and leadership should support initiatives for economic growth and regional cooperation. Keywords: Regional Integration Efforts, Political Cooperation, East African Community,  Rwanda